First Bank donates to St. Anne’s School.

First Bank of Nigeria Plc’s continuing commitment to corporate social responsibility was reinforced recently when it donated N20 million to St. Anne’s Nursery and Primary School, Kaduna, during the school’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

Dignitaries at the cheque presentation ceremony include former Chief of Army Staff, General Ibrahim Salihu, Monsignor Matthew Hassan Kukah, Senator Isaiah Balat, Mrs. Patrice Yakowa, wife of the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, and the Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Matthew M. Ndagoso.

The cheque presentation was done on behalf of FirstBank’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, by the Business Development Manager (BDM) for Kaduna, Mr Gimba Ibrahim at the school’s premises in Kakuri, Kaduna South. The GMD/CEO said the donation is line with the Bank’s programme of supporting schools in order to provide the right foundation for tomorrow’s leaders.

The Headmistress of the School, Rev Sister Celestina Agwu said the monies received at the 50th Anniversary celebrations would be used to upgrade the school’s infrastructural facilities most of which have been dilapidated due to age.

St. Anne’s Nursery and Primary school, which is now fifty years old is a flourishing institution which owes it origin to the vision of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (O.L.A). Their keen interest was to cater for the welfare of the local children, especially girls, from the remotest rural areas who had no opportunity to go to school to be educated, and who, if well educated would be able to positively influence the future generations. The O.L.A Sisters, who had already founded Queen of Apostles College and Sacred Heart Teacher Training College, worked tirelessly to bring this vision into reality. The building of the new school, a kitchen, dormitory and a few classroom blocks commenced in 1958. The target was to complete the building that year and start the school fully in 1959. While the construction of the buildings was going on, the first classes commenced in a hall in the Queen of Apostles College, now known as Queen Amina College.In 1959, the school building was completed and the name was carefully chosen, that is ST. ANNE’S. The school moved to its new premises that same year and Rev Sr. Philomena Woulfe became the first Headmistress. It had to be a boarding school because some of the girls came from far remote areas of Jos, Ilorin, Kagoro and other places. A very high standard of education was set. The school soon won a reputation of excellence in academics and was renowned for its extra-curricular activities.